MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- There are many components, such as the Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat, in the F/A-18 Hornet that are designed to help the pilot survive in the case of an emergency.

It is designed to extract aircrew from an aircraft before a crash or during an emergency.

The seat is propelled at a high speed out of the aircraft by a rocket motor. The ejection seat will save lives, but it can also cause a pilot to sustain career-ending injuries if they fail to use proper body positioning techniques during ejection.

The Aviation Survival Training Center, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, has an ejection seat simulator that aircrew use to practice and perfect their body position.

“The purpose of this training is to teach aircrew the proper fundamentals for body position during ejection,” said Navy Lt. Jon D. Champine, aerospace physiologist, ASTC, MCAS Miramar. “It ensures they have the best possible outcome in the safest manner possible during a worse case scenario.”

Fixed wing pilots are required to conduct training on the proper body positioning during ejection to ensure minimal injury.

“Whoever flies in an ejection seat aircraft needs this training at least once in their career,” said Champine, a 32-year-old native of Truman, Minn. “This training can save lives and definitely reduce the risk of bodily injury.”

Champine said if someone ejects from an aircraft with the wrong body position they might suffer from injuries such as fractured bones and dislocated limbs.

“In an actual aircraft the chance of injury is greatly enhanced with the wrong body position,” said Champine.

The proper body position consists of the feet flat on the ground while leaning back into the seat. This aligns the spine with the direction of the force from the ejection. Arm position is also vital as when ejection occurs there will be force on the pilot. If arm position is incorrect the pilot may suffer from dislocated shoulders.

The compressed air-powered ejection seat simulator does not simulate the actual force that occurs during ejection, but aircrew will know if their body position is incorrect.

“Even with the low amount of force, it will let people know if their body position was proper,” said Champine.

An ejection seat is not designed for comfort. It is designed to save someone’s life. Some pilots have suffered career-ending injuries from failure to use proper body positioning. This training can save lives and prevent major injuries.